BUSINESS AND TECH NEWS

Dan Harmon at the 2013 San Diego Comic Con International in San Diego, California, 21-07-2013. Image: Wikimedia

20:09 11 Jan 2018
Michael Staines
20:09 Thursday 11 January 2018

A US comedy writer has accepted an apology from the creator of ‘Community’ and ‘Rick and Morty’ after he confessed to sexually harassing her.

Dan Harmon outlined how he had mistreated Megan Ganz in an episode of his Harmontown podcast yesterday.

In the podcast, Mr Harmon speaks at length about his actions and admits to being “flirty” and “creepy” towards Ms Ganz while she worked for him.

He describes telling her that he loved her and admits that after she rejected his advances he treated her, “cruelly, pointedly, things I would never, ever would have done if she had been male and if I had never had those feelings for her.”

“I lied to myself the entire time about it and I lost my job,” he said. “I ruined my show. I betrayed the audience. I destroyed everything.”

“I damaged her internal compass and I moved on.

“I’ve never done it before and I will never do it again - but I certainly wouldn’t have been able to do it if I had any respect for women.”

Masterclass

Responding this afternoon, Ms Ganz said Mr Harmon had provided a “masterclass in How to Apologize.”

“He is not rationalizing or justifying or making excuses,” she said.

“He doesn’t just vaguely acknowledge some general wrongdoing in the past. He gives a full account.”

Noting that she only listened because she expected to hear the apology she said, “what I didn't expect was the relief I’d feel just hearing him say these things actually happened.”

“I didn’t dream it. I’m not crazy.

“Ironic that the only person who could give me that comfort is the one person I’d never ask.”

Here’s a weird one for you: Last week, I called out my former boss @danharmon for sexual harassment, and today I’m going to ask you to listen to his podcast. https://t.co/BEZAWH787V

I’m not being flippant. I didn’t bring up this mess just to sweep it back under the rug. But I find myself in the odd position of having requested an apology publicly, and then having received one—a good one—also publicly. I waited 6 years for it, but you can find it 18:38 in.

Please listen to it. It’s only seven minutes long, but it is a masterclass in How to Apologize. He’s not rationalizing or justifying or making excuses. He doesn’t just vaguely acknowledge some general wrongdoing in the past. He gives a full account.

Yes, I only listened because I expected an apology. But what I didn't expect was the relief I’d feel just hearing him say these things actually happened. I didn’t dream it. I’m not crazy. Ironic that the only person who could give me that comfort is the one person I’d never ask.

This was never about vengeance; it's about vindication. That's why it didn’t feel right to just accept his apology in private (although I did that, too). Because if any part of this process should be done in the light, it’s the forgiveness part. And so, @danharmon, I forgive you.